Charging connector

ABSTRACT

A charging connector ( 10 ) is provided to be connected to a vehicle-side connector ( 50 ) for charging a battery in a vehicle. The charging connector ( 10 ) has a main body ( 11 ) including a connector fitting ( 13 ) connectable to the vehicle-side connector, a lock ( 22 ) for holding the vehicle-side connector ( 50 ) and the connector fitting portion ( 13 ) in a connected state by being locked to a lock projection ( 52 ) on the vehicle-side connector ( 50 ), an unlocking portion ( 23 ) for canceling the locked state of the lock ( 22 ) and the lock projection ( 52 ), and an unlocking hole  16  formed in the connector main body ( 11 ) at a position corresponding to the unlocking portion ( 23 ). The unlocking portion ( 23 ) projects to the outside of the main body ( 11 ) through the unlocking hole ( 16 ) and includes recesses ( 27 ) at positions facing the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole ( 16 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a charging connector to be connected to avehicle-side connector for charging a battery in a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-123521 discloses acharging connector to be connected to a vehicle-side connector forcharging a battery in a vehicle. The charging connector includes a casebody with an open front end and a connector fitting at the open frontend of the case body for connection to the vehicle-side connector. Alever is accommodated in the case body and extends in forward andbackward directions. A lock is provided on a front end of a lever shaft,and an unlocking portion is provided on a rear end. The unlockingportion projects out from the case body through an unlocking hole in thecase body.

The lock of the charging connector engages a lock-receiving portion onthe vehicle-side connector to hold the two connectors in a connectedstate during charging. The unlocking portion is pushed to cancel thelocked state of the lock and the lock-receiving portion after chargingis completed so that the charging connector can be separated from thevehicle-side connector.

The charging connector typically is used outdoors and water is likely toenter a tiny clearance formed between the peripheral edge of theunlocking hole and a side surface of the unlocking portion. The waterstays in the clearance due to the action of surface tension. If thewater in the clearance freezes, water drops deposit on the frozen iceand further freeze. Ice accumulates by repeated freezing in this way.Thus, the lever and the case body become frozen firmly to interfere withan unlocking operation. The ice needs to be crushed or melted forremoval and such crushing or melting is not easy.

The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an objectthereof is to avoid interference with an unlocking operation caused byfreezing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a charging connector that is to be connected toa vehicle-side connector that is connected to a battery in a vehicle sothat the battery in the vehicle can be charged. The charging connectorincludes a case body with a connector fitting that is connectable to thevehicle-side connector. The charging connector also has a lock and anunlocking portion. The lock can be locked to a lock-receiving portion onthe vehicle-side connector for holding the vehicle-side connector andthe charging connector in a connected state. The unlocking portion iscapable of canceling the locked state of the lock and the lock-receivingportion. An unlocking hole is formed in the case body at a positionsubstantially corresponding to the unlocking portion. The unlockingportion projects to the outside of the case body through the unlockinghole and includes at least one recess at a position substantially facingthe peripheral edge of the unlocking hole.

A distance from the recess to the peripheral edge of the unlocking holeis longer as compared with the case where no recess is provided. Thus,even if water enters the recess, the action of surface tension isunlikely and water runs more easily down through the recess. Therefore,water does not stay in the recess and interference with an unlockingoperation caused by freezing can be avoided.

A guide may be provided at a peripheral edge of the unlocking hole andmay be connected to a side surface of the unlocking portion via aninclined surface.

The guide may have a surface processing with high water wettability.Thus, water runs more easily runs from the side surface of the unlockingportion to the guide via the inclined surface and/or due to the surfaceprocessing. Thus, entry of water between the side surface of theunlocking portion and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole can beavoided even at a part of the unlocking portion where the recess is notformed.

A lever shaft may be accommodated in the case body and may have an uppersurface. The unlocking portion may project from the upper surface. Adownwardly sloped water drain may be provided at least partly around theunlocking portion on the upper surface of the lever shaft. Thus, anywater that falls onto the upper surface of the lever shaft via therecess can be drained down from the lever shaft by the water drain.

A liquid guide may be provided on a surface of the lever shaft at leastat a side of the locking portion.

The water guide may comprise one or more downwardly sloped tapersurfaces that extend obliquely down from a tip of the water guide.

A distal edge of the recess may be a stepped surface.

The unlocking portion may include a pressing surface substantiallyextending obliquely down and/or substantially parallel to a part of thecase body. Two side surfaces may extend down or in from the pressingsurface at the substantially opposite widthwise sides of the unlockingportion and a rear surface may extend down or in at or near the rear endof the unlocking portion.

A distance between a front surface of the unlocking portion and aperipheral edge of the unlocking hole may be so set that the action ofsurface tension is unlikely.

A distal edge of the recess and the peripheral edge of the unlockinghole may act as shear blades so that any ice that forms in the recesscan be crushed easily by the distal edge of the recess.

One or more water drain holes may be formed in at least one lowersurface of the case body.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent upon reading of the followingdetailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.It should be understood that even though embodiments are separatelydescribed, single features thereof may be combined to additionalembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging connector according to anembodiment when obliquely viewed from front.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the charging connector showing a connectedstate to a vehicle-side connector.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view enlargedly showing a part A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the internal structure of a case body in FIG.2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the charging connector showing a state where anunlocking portion is pushed.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the internal structure of the case body in FIG.6.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the charging connector showing the connectedstate to the vehicle-side connector.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the charging connector showing the connectedstate to the vehicle-side connector.

FIG. 9 is a section along B-B of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a section along C-C of FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 is a section along D-D of FIG. 2.

FIG. 12 is a section along E-E of FIG. 2.

FIG. 13 is a section along F-F of FIG. 2.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a lever according to the embodimentwhen obliquely viewed from front.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the lever.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the lever.

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the lever.

FIG. 18 is a front view of the lever.

FIG. 19 is a section along G-G of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a section along H-H of FIG. 16.

FIG. 21 is a section along I-I of FIG. 16.

FIG. 22 is a section along J-J of FIG. 16.

FIG. 23 is a section along K-K of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A charging connector in accordance with a particular embodiment of theinvention is identified generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1, 2 and4-8. The charging connector 10 is gun-shaped and includes a main body 11at a front portion and a grip 12 extending obliquely down from a rearend of the main body 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The main body 11 and thegrip 12 are molded unitarily e.g. of synthetic resin. A substantiallycylindrical connector fitting portion 13 projects forward at a front endpart of the main body 11. The charging connector also includes a lever20 with a lever shaft 21 accommodated in the main body 11, as shown inFIG. 4.

The connector fitting portion 13 is formed as a separate member from themain body 11 and is fixed to the front end of the main body 11 by anunillustrated locking means. Substantially cylindrical terminalaccommodating portions 14 project forward from the back wall of theconnector fitting portion 13. Cavities for accommodating terminalfittings (not shown) are formed in the terminal accommodating portions14.

Wires W extend back from the connector fitting portion 13. The wires Ware pulled through the interior of the connector main body 11, into theinterior of the grip 12 and are bundled in the grip 12 into one cable W1covered by an outer sheath. The cable W1 is fixed by a cable grip ringor the like in the grip 12 and further is fixed by a bush 40 at a rearend portion of the grip 12.

The bush 40 is held in close contact with the inner peripheral surfaceof the rear end opening of the grip 12 and the outer peripheral surfaceof the cable W1 to prevent water or any other liquid from entering theinterior of the grip 12 through the rear end of the grip 12. Water drainholes 15 are formed in the lower surfaces of the main body 11 and thegrip 12. Thus, any water or liquid that enters the interior of the mainbody 11 and the grip 12 can escape to the outside through the waterdrain holes 15.

The lever shaft 21 extends in substantially forward and backwarddirections, as shown in FIG. 14. A lock 22 is provided on a frontportion of the lever shaft 21 and an unlocking portion 23 is provided ona rear portion of the lever shaft 21. A lever rotation center 24 isprovided in a substantially central part of the lever shaft 21 inforward and backward directions. Thus, the lever shaft 21 can beinclined substantially like a seesaw about this lever rotation center 24to move both front and rear ends thereof.

As shown in FIG. 16, the lever shaft 21 extends substantiallyhorizontally forward from the lever rotation center 24, then extendsobliquely up and then horizontally again, whereas it extends obliquelydown toward the back from the lever rotation center portion 24. Thus,the lock 22 is located above the unlocking portion 23.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the main body 11 bulges out and up at aposition substantially corresponding to the lever 20, and a front endportion of this bulge defines a protection wall 11A that bulges forward.A front end of the lever shaft 21 is covered by the protection wall 11Awith only the lock 22 exposed to prevent the lever shaft 21 from beingdamaged when the charging connector 10 is e.g. dropped by mistake.

The lock 22 includes a head 22A that projects up and out from ahorizontal section in the front end of the lever shaft 21 and a latch22B that projects down and in from this horizontal section. The latch22B projects more back toward its bottom end, i.e. has an overhanging orundercut shape. Accordingly, a lock projection 52 to be locked to thelatch 22B also is formed to have an overhanging shape, as shown in FIG.4. Thus, a locked state of the latch 22B and the lock projection 52 isnot canceled even if the two connectors 10, 50 are pulled in separatingdirections with the latch 22B and the lock projection 52 locked. A flatmetal plate covers the lock projection 52 for reinforcement.

The head 22A is wider toward its upper end, as shown in FIG. 18, toensure sufficient strength to withstand an impact even if the head 22Adirectly hits the ground.

A rear surface 22C of the head 22A projects more back toward its upperend to have an overhanging shape, as shown in FIG. 16. The lock 22 isexposed forward from the front end opening at the protection wall 11A ofthe main body 11, as shown in FIG. 2. Further, with the two connectors10, 50 connected, an upper part of the front end of the protection wall11A of the main body 11 is substantially parallel to the rear surface22C of the head 22A and the upper surface of the main body 11 issubstantially flush with the upper surface of the head 22A.

As can be understood from FIGS. 7 and 8, the vehicle-side connector 50faces somewhat up facing posture in a vehicle and, accordingly, thecharging connector 10 to be connected to the vehicle-side connector 50faces somewhat down. Thus, in its typical use, the rear surface 22C ofthe head 22A is in a vertical posture and extends substantiallyvertically when the charging connector 10 is connected to thevehicle-side connector 50. In other words, the rear surface 22C of thehead 22A is in such a posture that an upper end thereof is displaced ina direction away from the vehicle-side connector 50 with respect to aplane orthogonal to a connecting direction of the two connectors 10, 50.

Since the rear surface 22C of the head 22A is in the vertical posture toextend substantially in the vertical direction in the connected state,even if snow accumulated on the head 22A melts into water and this waterenters between the rear surface 22C of the head 22A and the protectionwall 11A, this water does not stay on the rear surface 22C of the head22A. Therefore a situation where the lock 22 cannot be unlocked due tofreezing between the rear surface 22C of the head 22A and the protectionwall 11A can be avoided.

The unlocking portion 23 projects up and out at a rear end of the levershaft 21, as shown in FIG. 16. Additionally, the unlocking portion 23 isexposed and projects up and out from an unlocking hole 16 in a rear partof the upper surface of the main body 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Theunlocking portion 23 has a pressing surface 23A that extends obliquelydown or substantially parallel to the grip 12. Two side surfaces 23B areprovided at opposite widthwise sides of the unlocking portion 23 andextend down and in from the opposite widthwise edges of the pressingsurface 23A. Further, a rear surface 23C is provided at the rear end ofthe unlocking portion 23 and extends down and in from the rear edge ofthe pressing surface 23A. A spring receiving portion 25 is provided in alower surface of the unlocking portion 23, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19,for receiving the upper end of a coil spring 60.

As shown in FIG. 4, a spring mounting portion 17 is provided at aposition of the connector main body 11 substantially vertically facingthe spring receiving portion 25 for supporting the bottom end of thecoil spring 60. The coil spring 60 is mounted in a compressed statebetween the spring receiving portion 25 and the spring mounting portion17 and biases the rear end of the lever shaft 21 up and out. Thus, thelock 22 is biased constantly toward a locking position LP shown in FIG.4. On the other hand, the unlocking portion 23 can be pressed down andin, the lock 22 is pushed up and displaced to an unlocking position UPshown in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lever 20 at the locking position LP is incontact with an impact absorbing pad 61 provided in the main body 11above the connector fitting 13. Thus, a spring force of the coil spring60 moves the lock 22 from the unlocking position UP to the lockingposition LP when the unlocking portion 23 is released, but an impact isabsorbed when the lever shaft 21 collides with the impact absorbing pad61 and a movement of the lock 22 is stopped at the locking position LP.

The charging connector 10 is used outdoors, and rain water may splash onthe charging connector 10 or snow may accumulate directly on thecharging connector 10 while charging is performed in a cold region.Water deposited on the lock 22 or the unlocking portion 23 may freezeand interfere with an unlocking operation.

For example, water may fall onto the upper surface of the lever shaft 21through the clearance between the rear surface 22C of the head 22A andthe front surface of the protection wall 11A. Ice deposits on the uppersurface of the lever shaft 21 are likely to interfere with the innersurface of the protection wall 11A and could disable the ability of thelock 22 to move from the locking position to the unlocking position.

Accordingly, a water guide 26 is provided on the upper surface of thelever shaft 21 adjacent the lock 22, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 20, andwater that falls to the water guide 26 runs directly down from the levershaft 21. The water guide 26 has two taper surfaces 26A that slopeobliquely down from a tip 26B arranged substantially bilaterallysymmetrically in the widthwise center of the water guide 26.

On the other hand, water may enter a clearance between the side surface23B and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 and stay betweenthe side surface 23B and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16due to the action of surface tension. Water that freezes between theside surface 23B and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16freezes can prevent the unlocking portion 23 from being pushed in. Thisphenomenon also could occur at the rear surface 23C and a front surface23D.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 16, recesses 27 are formed in the side surfaces23B of the unlocking portion 23 at positions facing the peripheral edgeof the unlocking hole 16. Upper edges 27A of the recesses 27 are higherthan the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 when the lock 22 is atthe locking position. Since distances from the recesses 27 to theperipheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 are longer than those from theside surfaces 23B to the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16, theaction of surface tension becomes less likely. Thus, water runs moreeasily down via the recesses 27, thereby eliminating a likelihood thatwater will freeze in the recesses 27 and interfere with the unlockingoperation. Similarly, a recess 27 also is formed in the rear surface23C.

Two recesses 27 are arranged one after the other in each side surface23B. The peripheral edges of the recesses 27 are stepped surfaces at anangle and preferably substantially orthogonal to the side surfaces 23B.The front and rear edges of the recesses 27 are substantially paralleland extend substantially vertically. Further, upper edges 27A of therecesses 27 extend obliquely down toward the rear surface 23C andsubstantially parallel to the pressing surface 23A of the unlockingportion 23. Only one recess 27 is formed in the rear surface 23C, andthe peripheral edge of this recess 27 also is stepped at an angle andpreferably substantially orthogonal to the rear surface 23C.

Since the upper edges 27A of the recesses 27 are stepped, as shown inFIGS. 19, 21 and 22, any small amount of ice that may be formed betweenthe recesses 27 and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 can becrushed by a shear force. In other words, the upper edges 27A of therecesses 27 enter the unlocking hole 16, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13 ifthe unlocking portion 23 is pushed in. Thus, the upper edges 27A of therecesses 27 and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 act asshear blades. Therefore, even if ice is formed in the recesses 27, itcan be crushed easily by the upper edges 27A of the recesses 27.

No recess 27 is formed in the front surface 23D of the unlocking portion23. This is because the lever shaft 21 and the front surface portion 23Dof the unlocking portion 23 are arranged to form an undercut as shown inFIG. 16 and a slide mold is necessary to form the recess 27 in the frontsurface portion 23D of the unlocking portion 23, which complicates amold structure and increases mold cost. Accordingly, water havingentered between the front surface 23D of the unlocking portion 23 andthe peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 needs to be droppeddirectly onto the upper surface of the lever shaft 21. To this end, adistance between the front surface 23D of the unlocking portion 23 andthe peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 is set so that the actionof surface tension is unlikely.

However, if water having fallen onto the upper surface of the levershaft 21 freezes in this state, ice formed on the upper surface of thelever shaft 21 interferes with the inner wall of the connector main body11, thereby interfering with the unlocking portion. Accordingly, atleast one water drain 28 is provided around the unlocking portion 23 onthe upper surface of the lever shaft 21. This water drain 28 isconstructed similarly to the water guide 26 and includes two tapersurfaces 28A. As shown in FIG. 23, the taper surfaces 28A are slopedobliquely down from a tip 28B and are arranged substantially bilaterallysymmetrically in the widthwise center of the water drain 28. By this,water having fallen down onto the water drain 28 can be drained downfrom the lever shaft 21.

In addition to these, a guide 18 is provided at a peripheral edge of theunlocking hole 16 and is connected to the side surfaces 23B of theunlocking portion 23 via an inclined surface 18A as shown in FIGS. 11,12 and 13. The inclined surface 18A in this embodiment has a steep angleof inclination. The guide 18 is provided at the peripheral edge of theunlocking hole 16 over substantially the entire circumference. Waterthat deposits on the side surface 23B of the unlocking portion 23 isguided more easily to the guide 18 by the inclined surface 18A. Thus,entrance of water between the unlocking portion 23 and the peripheraledge of the unlocking hole 16 can be reduced maximally.

The lock 22 moves onto the lock projection 52 when the two connectors10, 50 are being connected and inclines the lever 20. A connected stateis reached when the two connectors 10, 50 are connected further, asshown in FIG. 4. Simultaneously, the lock 22 moves over the lockprojection 52, the lever 20 is restored resiliently and the lock 22 andthe lock projection 52 are locked to each other in the connectingdirection. In this way, the two connectors 10, 50 are locked in theconnected state. A battery is charged with the two connectors 10, 50connected. When charging is completed, the grip 12 is held by hand andthe pressing surface 23A of the unlocking portion 23 is pressed with athumb.

Water that enters main body 11 from the lock 22 will fall onto the waterguide 26 and is caused to run down from the lever shaft 21 by the tapersurfaces 26A. Water that deposits on the unlocking portion 23 is guidedtoward the guide 18 by the inclined surface 18A of the guide 18 and runsdown along the outer peripheral surface of the main body 11. Thus, waterentrance into the main body 11 through the unlocking hole 16 isprevented.

Water deposited on the unlocking portion 23 may enter the recess 27. Inthis case, the water particularly runs down along a lower edge 27B ofthe recess 27, into the main body 11 and is drained to the outside ofthe main body 11 through the water drain holes 15. Even if ice shouldform in the recesses 27, it is sheared and crushed between the upperedges 27A of the recesses 27 and the peripheral edge of the unlockinghole 16 by pressing in the unlocking portion 23.

Further, water having entered the connector main body 11 through aclearance between the front surface 23D of the unlocking portion 23 andthe peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 falls onto the water drain28 and runs down from the lever shaft 21 by the taper surfaces 28A.Therefore, the unlocking portion 23 will not be frozen at the peripheraledge of the unlocking hole 16 and the unlocking operation can beperformed.

As described above, the water guide 26 on the upper surface of the levershaft 21 near the lock 22 substantially eliminates the chance that icewill form on the upper surface of the lever shaft 21 and interfere withthe inner surface of the protection wall 11A. Further, the tapersurfaces 26A of the water guide 26 enable water to run down from thelever shaft 21. Therefore, there will be no interference with theunlocking operation caused by freezing of the lock 22.

Further, the recesses 27 on the side surfaces 23B and the rear surface23C of the unlocking portion 23 enable water to run down more easily.Hence, water is unlikely to stay between the unlocking portion 23 andthe peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16. Further, water depositedon the unlocking portion 23 is guided to the guiding portion 18 via theinclined surface 18A and is less likely to enter between the unlockingportion 23 and the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16. Furthermorethe taper surfaces 28A of the water drain 28 ensure that any water thatenters between the front surface 23D of the unlocking portion 23 and theperipheral edge of the unlocking hole 16 will run down. Therefore,interference with the unlocking operation caused by freezing of thelocking portion 22 can be avoided.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustratedembodiment. For example, the following embodiments also are included inthe scope of the invention.

Although the water guide 26 is formed by the taper surfaces 26A in theabove embodiment, it may be formed by an arcuate or bent surfaceaccording to the invention.

Although the water guide 26 is formed by two taper surfaces 26A in theabove embodiment, it may be formed by one taper surface or three or moretaper surfaces.

The recesses 27 are formed in both the side surfaces 23B and the rearsurface 23C of the unlocking portion 23 in the above embodiment.However, the recesses 27 may be formed in either the side surfaces 23Bor the rear surface 23C according to the invention. Further, tworecesses 27 are formed in each side surface 23B in the above embodimentto divide this side surface 23B into two areas. However, one recess maybe formed substantially in the entire area of the side surface 23B orthree recesses may be formed to divide the side surface 23B into threeareas according to the invention. In this case, it is preferable tomaximally narrow partition walls defining the respective recesses.

The guide 18 is provided at the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole 16substantially over the entire circumference in the above embodiment.However, guides may be provided only at parts of the peripheral edge ofthe unlocking hole 16 not facing the recesses 27 according to theinvention.

The guide 18 is formed by the inclined surface in the above embodiment,but it may be formed by applying a surface processing with high waterwettability according to the invention.

No recess is formed in the front surface portion 23D of the unlockingportion 23 in the above embodiment. However, a recess may be formed inthe front surface portion 23D according to the invention if the frontsurface portion 23D does not form an undercut part and the recess can beformed without using a slide mold. In this case, the water drain 28 maybe omitted.

What is claimed is:
 1. A charging connector to be connected to avehicle-side connector connected to a battery in a vehicle for chargingthe battery, comprising: a case body including a connector fittingconnectable to the vehicle-side connector; a lock for holding thevehicle-side connector and the charging connector in a connected stateby locking to a lock-receiving portion on the vehicle-side connector; alever shaft in the case body, a water guide provided on a surface of thelever shaft in proximity to the lock; an unlocking portion projectingfrom an upper surface of the lever shaft for deleting a locked state ofthe lock and the lock-receiving portion, a downwardly sloped water drainbeing provided on the upper surface of the lever shaft in proximity tothe unlocking portion; and an unlocking hole formed in the case body ata position corresponding to the unlocking portion, wherein the unlockingportion at least partly projects outside of the case body through theunlocking hole and includes at least one recess at a positionsubstantially facing a peripheral edge of the unlocking hole.
 2. Thecharging connector of claim 1, wherein at least one inclined guide isprovided at a peripheral edge of the unlocking hole opposed to a sidesurface of the unlocking portion.
 3. The charging connector of claim 1,wherein the water guide comprises one or more taper surfaces sloped downobliquely down from a tip of the water guide.
 4. The charging connectorof claim 1, wherein a distal edge of the recess defines at least onestep.
 5. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the unlockingportion includes: a pressing surface extending obliquely down andsubstantially parallel to a part of the case body; two side surfacesextending down and in from the pressing surface at substantiallyopposite widthwise sides of the unlocking portion; and a rear surfaceextending down and in at a rear end of the unlocking portion.
 6. Thecharging connector of claim 1, wherein a distance between a frontsurface of the unlocking portion and a peripheral edge of the unlockinghole (16) is set to substantially prevent action of surface tension. 7.The charging connector of claim 1, wherein a distal edge of the recessand the peripheral edge of the unlocking hole are configured to crushany ice formed in the recess.
 8. The charging connector of claim 1,wherein one or more water drain holes are formed in at least one lowersurface of the case body.